It's Christmas Time in the City
by onlymystory
Summary: Not everyone is full of Christmas cheer during the holidays. Peter and Stiles are two of those people. Peter/Stiles is friendship only. Just FYI.


**Oops, my bad. Forgot to post yesterday's fic here. So you get 2 fics, this and Santa Derek. **

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Peter can tell that Stiles isn't happy. The teen certainly seems happy, sitting on the couch, curled up with Derek, watching the rest of the pack decorate a Christmas tree.

Everyone had pleaded for a real Christmas celebration, going so far as to decorate the remodeled Hale house like Santa's workshop had exploded inside. Boyd and Isaac spent a day hanging up Christmas lights, while Lydia oversaw the choosing of a Christmas tree. The smell of hot cider lingered in the air and despite Scott's appetite, there were still cookies left in the kitchen.

It was a good thing, it really was. But Peter was feeling like the odd man out, trying to keep a smile on his face and not bring the mood down for everyone else.

He hadn't planned on saying anything. But now, seeing Stiles with the same look on his face, Peter thought he might be allowed to indulge.

"Can I borrow Stiles?" he asked, standing up from his chair.

Both Derek and Stiles looked at him, puzzled but not distrusting. They'd come a long way.

"Are you going somewhere?" questioned Derek.

"For a drive. I need to get out of the house."

"Why me?"

"Because I don't want to be alone but I also don't want to be the one talking," answered Peter. There. Truthful enough and everyone would assume he just wanted Stiles' chatter to drown out his own thoughts.

Stiles pried himself away from Derek and stood up. "Yeah okay."

Derek frowned. "Stiles, you don't have to leave. Peter shouldn't pull you away from everyone."

Peter stayed quiet. If he pushed too much, they'd suspect there was more to this.

Stiles shook his head. "No, it's fine. We won't be gone too long. Besides, Isaac's been eyeing the couch for a while. You can get some quality wolfy cuddles in while we're gone."

Derek gave him one of his patented looks of combined exasperation and fondness, but settled back into the couch. "Take a jacket. It's cold out."

"Yes dear," joked Stiles. He pulled his coat off the chair and noticed that Isaac did indeed scurry over to the vacated space. Derek ran his fingers through the pup's curly hair as Stiles followed Peter out the door.

Neither spoke as Peter drove away from the house, further into the preserve. He parked near an overlook.

"Peter, I know we get along these days but I'm not interested in making out with you." They'd pulled up to what was, in warmer weather, a prime make-out spot. The unusual chill this year had kept most couples away.

"Funny." Peter just stepped out of the car and reached into the backseat for a box. He set the box on the ground near the edge of the cliff and motioned for Stiles to join him.

Stiles pulled gloves on and zipped up his jacket before joining Peter. "So why are we here? And what's in the box?"

Peter reached in and grabbed an empty beer bottle out of the box. He threw it, hard, over the edge and smiled with satisfaction at the resulting crash. He could sense that Stiles was giving him an odd look. "This is my first real Christmas since the fire," began Peter. "There was the coma and then I died before Christmas last time and then we were all so busy with the Alphas that no one realized we'd missed Christmas until January was halfway over."

"Okay…"

"I like what the pack's doing. It's…it's nice to have a home and a pack again. But no matter where I go, the grocery store, the post office, even around the pack, everyone comments on how happy I must be to enjoy Christmas again." Peter threw another bottle. "And if I don't smile, I get the oh so well meaning comments of 'smile, Peter, its Christmas' or 'you must just love being able to celebrate this year'."

"Oh." Stiles was starting to get it.

Peter sighed. "Part of me is happy. But I want to be able to be just a little bit sad. To remember the days when I was just the favorite uncle who would sneak spiked eggnog to the younger kids and didn't have expectations. Derek's been through a lot. But people don't treat him the same way. His scowls or moodiness are allowed because of the tragedy of his life. I'm supposed to have healed. Somehow. I don't know if it's because I'm an adult or because of my uncle status versus son and brother, or if some entirely other mundane reason goes through people's minds."

Stiles picked up his own bottle and chucked it with significant force. "Like when people say I must love having family around again, as though okay it's been enough time to get over your mother. Time to smile through the Christmas carols and quit being depressed."

"Yeah."

"And we can't get mad around the pack anyway, because they do deserve to be happy. So you put on the fake smile and hang up stockings and pretend."

Peter smashed several bottles before speaking again. "I needed to get away. To have a few minutes to be pissed off that Christmas isn't the way I want it, and it never will be. And…"

"And you needed to do it in a way that won't make you feel guilty for upsetting everyone else," finished Stiles. He got it. Boy did he ever get it. He threw several bottles of his own in quick succession.

They both stood in silence for a while, occasionally tossing another bottle over the edge. Eventually, the box was empty.

Stiles stuck the box in the back of the car, then leaned against the hood until Peter turned around and opened the door.

The two drove in silence back home. As they walked in the door, Peter gave Stiles a discerning look, and Stiles gave him a half-hearted attempt at a smile. When they both looked cheerful again, Stiles walked over to sit by Derek again, only pushing Isaac a little out of his way.

Peter stood in the doorway, needing an extra minute. He finally turned towards the kitchen, making some noise for a few minutes, before coming back into the room. He shoved a mug at Stiles.

Stiles took a sip cautiously, then grinned. A real grin this time. "Thanks for the eggnog."

Peter's smile was real this time as well.

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**Notes:** **A teensy bit sadder one. This isn't prompted, but I wanted a chance to do a little shot at a story where people aren't always happy during the holidays. Because I get this way sometimes, when memories and stuff are overwhelming and I want to be allowed to be a little depressed for a while. But most people insist on smiles and holiday spirit. So I thought Peter & Stiles should have a chance to be frustrated.** **And I purposefully kept Derek out of it because I've actually experienced people who think that if you aren't immediate family, you should get over things sooner. And I thought it was fairly likely that the pack wouldn't realize Stiles needs this too because he doesn't seem so outwardly traumatized.**


End file.
